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The Best Book Subscriptions For this 2022 Holiday Season

Silvana Reyes Lopez

Senior Contributor

Silvana Reyes is a Mexican book blogger. She enjoys all types of sub-genres, but loves a good love story. Romance fiction is her heart and joy and you might find her screaming about book releases on her Twitter account.

If I’m certain of something in my life, it’s that gift-giving is one of my love languages. I love getting gifts, but I also love giving gifts to people I love. This holiday season is the perfect opportunity to gift your favorite person a book subscription where you’re not only getting a book (or two, or three), but you’re also getting special swag like candles, mugs, and even bath bombs! Maybe your favorite person can be the one gifting one to you, so you better be texting random links to them right now so they have time to order them come the holiday season. If you’re unfamiliar with where to order them, this list will show you the best book subscriptions you can order for this 2022 holiday season.

Getting a book box is basically a dream. Personally, I’ve always wanted to get one, because of the way everyone did their unboxing videos and showcased the goodies inside. I’m easily influenced into getting books and things on the internet, that’s not a secret. If you’re like me, a book box is the perfect little box filled to the brim with treasures and magic. All of these companies provide book box subscriptions that will bring a smile to your face. I feel like most of the book subscriptions out there cater to the fantasy genre, so I wanted to mix it up with ones that focus on romance books as well. But worry not, you’ll definitely find a variety of genres in this list.

1. TBR – Tailored Book Recommendations

a graphic that shows a photo of a person reading and the text TBR: give the gift of Tailored Book Recommendations before they sell out!

It’s fitting that I start this list with Book Riot’s own book subscription service, Tailored Book Recommendations a.k.a. TBR. Sometimes you don’t get a lot of time to search for books that fit your tastes, but TBR will match you with custom recommendations that are perfect for you, no matter how specific your book niche is. There are two levels you can choose from: three custom book recommendations or three custom-recommended hardcover books. In the first, you get a personalized letter with your recommendations, while in the other one, you’re going to get a box with three custom-recommended hardcover books that will perfectly fit your reading tastes.

2. ReadHer Book Box

a photo of a ReadHer Book Box

Do you enjoy romance books? This box is perfect for you then. ReadHer is a book subscription box that contains one book by a Black author plus 3-5 fun extra items. One of the many things I love about this bookish box is that it supports indie authors and books. You get incredible steamy titles that range from historical romance to fantasy romance. Love is always in the air, that’s for sure!

This one is definitely for adults (18+) because of that steamy content!

3. Read It & Eat It

a photo of a mug, tea bags, a bread slice sticker, and the book Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop

Read It & Eat It pairs up two of my favorite things in the world: food and books. It’s genius! We always get a little bit hungry while we’re reading, let’s not lie. But what’s so cool about this book subscription box is that it will also take you on culinary adventures. It not only provides delicious goodies, but you can also get items that will help you create something super tasty. The goodies and items inside the box are all from small businesses in the United States, plus they donate a portion of their proceeds to fight hunger in Buffalo, NY as well.

4. Lit Love Box

Lit Love Box book subscriptions 2022

This Canadian book subscription box is quite different from the previous ones. Here you can pick the book you want to get! Lit Love Box lets the readers pick the monthly book from 1-3 options. You can also get the surprise option where they choose a title that has not been revealed to the public, so you won’t know anything about it beforehand. Along with the book, you can also get some mouthwatering snacks, self-care products, and definitely more bookish goodies.

5. Romance Book and Chill

a photo of a Romance Book & Chill book subscriptions box surrounded by romance books
Romance Book and Chill

As you can probably guess, this book subscription box is mainly focused on romance books. If you adore the genre, this is definitely the box for you. Romance Book and Chill carefully curates a book box where you’ll be able to be swept up on your very own happily ever after. If you choose to get the monthly subscription, each month you’ll be getting one steamy romance book plus yummy treats, full-size self-care products, and many beautiful bookish items as well. You even have the choice to gift a subscription to a friend or family.

6. Once Upon a Book Club

a photo of a Once Upon a Book Club book subscription box with gardening gloves, shears, a mug, and other goodies
Once Upon a Book Club

What makes Once Upon a Book Club so unique is that they create a bookish adventure exclusively for the customer — you get to be part of the book! Inside the book box, you’ll find one newly released title (it can be an adult fiction or young adult book), but alongside the book, you’ll also be able to enjoy 3-5 individually wrapped gifts. Each gift has a page number attached to them, which means that whenever you get to that page number while you’re reading the book…you get to open up the gift! Readers are not meant to open the gift until they reach the marked page number.

7. Unplugged Book Box

the Unplugged Book Box logo

The Unplugged Book Box is all about self-care. As readers all know, sometimes self-care can be picking up an anticipated book release to read, and Unplugged Book Box wants to create these moments for us.

They have two options of what book you can get: Adult Fiction or Young Adult. You’re not only getting a carefully curated title (it can be hardcover or paperback), but you’re also getting 4-6 high-quality, literature-inspired goodies. Everything is going to be centered around self-care, and you can find candles, bath goods, tea or coffee, skin care, etc., inside your book box.

8. Sweet Reads Box

a photo of a Sweets Reads Box, showing The Sunday Potluck club surrounded by bookmarks, tea, a candle, and more goodies

Craving some Me Time? Sweet Reads Box has to be on your radar. Inside, you can find a newly released title, 3-4 items related to the book, a delicious treat, a drink to enjoy while you’re reading, and a card explaining the chosen book and how the items connect with it. But aside from the monthly book subscription box, they also have limited edition boxes which are boxes curated around a theme in particular, like fall, winter, and even a snack edition! This is also available in Canada.

9. Authentic Books

a photo of an Authentic Books book box, featuring Carrie Soto Is Back surrounded by a matching bookmark, candle, chocolate bar, and more goodies

Get ready to inmerse yourself in a fascinating experience that pairs up all our senses with books! Yes, you heard correctly. Authentic Books has managed to create a box that has items for each of our senses (smell, sound, sight, touch, taste, and heart) while also providing a book that you can pick out yourself. When choosing a book subscription service, you might be worried that you’ll already have the book or that you won’t enjoy it. But worry not, with Authentic Books, you’ll be able to choose the book you’re going to obtain.

10. Love Notes From Paradise Book Box

Love Notes from Paradise Book Box logo

And finally, to close out this list, we have Love Notes from Paradise Book Box. Author Lucy Eden has created a book box subscription that combines her love of reading, designing, and enjoying luxury experiences. This is a book box focused around romance novels, where you’ll be getting exclusive special edition hardcover books alongside handcrafted self-care items made by Lucy Eden herself. But that’s not all! Inside the box, you’ll find more unique items from small businesses that you won’t be able to stop gushing about.


Every single one of these bookish subscriptions are going to enchant you with the gifts that you’ll find inside. I can assure you that if you choose to gift any of them to someone special, they would never forget it. I’ve tried a few of them, so I know the founders and creators have done this with love and care. They’ve chosen to create these wonderful book subscriptions to make our lives a little bit better one book at a time.

If those weren’t quite what you had in mind, though, check out these other great book subscription boxes!